Not Like They Planned
by personalescape
Summary: He knew he was the best at what he did, now Daniel needed everyone else to understand it too. She didn't know what to expect, but that night she stayed up 'till late and this time she didn't drink. This time she was practicing magic tricks. - A story about Daniel and Henley: how they met and how they became who they are now.
1. Daniel 1

**Sooooooo... Heya! personalescape here, this is a Danley story (even if doesn't seem like it at first) and obviously everything that you recognize (characters, song titles and quotes etc..) ain't mine. I hope you all like it and even if you don't leave a comment to tell me what you think.  
I apologize already if there are any grammar mistakes (young, italian teenager, you know..)  
Enjoy and keep shipping Daniel+Henley!**

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_**Chapter 1**_  
_**6**__**th**__** November 2005, New York**_

21 years old Atlas walked in the pub like he owned it. It was a chilly night and he spent the last three hours sitting, analyzing the sea of girls who auditioned for the spot of his assistant. None of them was good enough though, which meant his legs got numb for nothing. Sure they were pretty, beautiful even, but not enough. Never enough. Most of them weren't even magicians._ "Well, at least now I have a few more numbers to call in case I get bored... That Holly girl was pretty hot"._  
His thoughts went back to his shows again... Things weren't going how he wanted and he didn't like it one bit. He had planned things perfectly: starting with the 2 weeks of auditions in October, other 2 weeks of rehearsing and then his first show on an actual stage. Everything was planned to the point: when to wake up, have breakfast, take a break from the auditions, when and where he'd perform; he had decided what was to do every single waking moment from the start of October to the end of November. The only thing Daniel left out of his schedule was not being able to find the right assistant and he should have foreshadowed it since he was a perfectionist and he was never going to find the perfect girl in fifteen days only. And in fact he didn't find her and it was already November, meaning he had to postpone the Big Halloween Magic Show and transform it into a normal performance. Seeing how things were going he didn't know whether it was worse to do a mid November performance or wait another month and half and do a Christmas Magic Show. Saying it like that sounded silly, yes, but he _had_ to make a big, unforgettable entrance. He just couldn't settle down for _average._

He could have settled for a "_normal_" life, a regular job and a boring existence, but he didn't want to give up magic. It had been part of his life ever since he found out it helped him with his panic attacks at age 13. He started his magic shows a year and three months back, in 2004 on a summer night, he began with street performances all around New York. In the first months he did have a "_real job_", but he got fired in less then 6 weeks because of his bad behavior: too arrogant, too cocky, always talking back at the boss, not to mention people were really annoyed by his obsession with control. It wasn't the first time it happened. It was one of the reasons Daniel preferred much more working solo, it was easier to keep everything in check if he didn't have to worry about other people messing things up.  
_"So why look for an assistant?" _you probably wonder.  
Well, the answer is easy. It was difficult to do a lot money only out of street magic, he needed something better. No, he _wanted _something better. He has always been quite ambitious. The more amazing the stage shows were, the bigger was the audience, which meant the greater he was if he could fool them all. He knew he was the best at what he did, now Daniel needed everyone else to understand it too.

Yet here he was, after a performance in the streets of NYC, standing in the doorway looking for the "sort-of-friend" who "sort-of-invited" him to go out with some people, he barely knew the guy. He was pretty sure he got invited just out of courtesy and that the guy hoped he wouldn't actually show up. Nonetheless, he came; the night was young after all. He was supposed to "party", "drink", "socialize" and "befriend others", all verbs that didn't exactly fit with the name J. Daniel Atlas... Well, except maybe "drink".  
He found himself looking at the girls around the room, analyzing them the way he did with the ones that showed up to the audition. But, honestly, right now an assistant was the last thing he wanted to think of. Right now he only wanted to get laid, it eased the tension as much as planning things and almost as magic itself and since he already did his show for the night, planned the two following days (including when to go to the bathroom), having sex was the only thing left to do.  
Scanning the crowd, giving up on finding the "sort-of-friend", Daniel found his eyes falling upon a girl sitting at the bar with her back at him. She looked a bit short, but her curves made up for that, she was wearing a tight black dress and a pair of dark blue killer heels matching her bracelet and earrings.

He quickly made his way through the crowd and sat at the bar, not quite acknowledging the girl. Daniel ordered some whiskey on the rocks loudly enough to draw the young woman's attention to him. It worked and just like he hoped the girl started the conversation.  
_"Hey, have we met somewhere?"_ He internally chuckled at her words. Seriously, that was the oldest line ever. He turn to her anyway.  
_"I don't think so. Otherwise I'm sure I'd remember seeing such a pretty young woman."_ Daniel took in the beauty that was in front of him, from her flowing hair to her thin, kissable, red lips.  
_"Oh, thanks." _the girl looked down and blushed, her chest and neck quickly became a light shade of pink. She raised her head again and looked him straight in the eyes. She looked around his age, but there was a glow in her eyes. A glow that didn't go along with the way she was dressed. A glow that he hadn't seen in his own eyes in a lot of time. _Innocence_.  
_"I'm serious, though. I've already seen you. I don't know where, but I'm sure I did" _ She remained quiet for a couple of seconds, her face confused at first then she smiled a warm, sweet smile.  
_"I've got it! You're the magician! My friend and I saw one of your shows a couple of days ago." _

Daniel was pleasantly surprised. He knew, after over a year, that people around New York knew him, but it was the first time something like this happened. Most of the times girls approached him after a show, he never met one who knew him, not by chance at least. He vaguely remember her writing something down. They started talking, soon they were joking and laughing.  
Unusual for him, the _"one night stand guy",_ but he didn't mind. Somewhere during the conversation they started talking about magic and somehow he started showing her a couple of his card tricks, she'd laugh at the end of every single one, giving up on trying to understand how, her eyes glowing brighter as he fooled her into believing in magic.  
Suddenly she asked him if she could try.  
He wasn't new to this, either. At one point or another they all wanted to try ... most of them failed, but he handed her a spare deck of cards he hid in his pocket anyway. She told him to look straight in her eyes as she shuffled the cards. She split the deck in two and told him to take the card on top of the second one. It was weird to be at the other end and, as he wondered which of the many tricks she would try on him, he couldn't fight a little smile off his face. He looked down at the card, The King of Hearts, _"How fitting..."_ he thought, then he placed the card in the middle again. She shuffled again and showed him the deck. The King of Hearts was at the bottom ; she then showed him the rest of the cards: black and red, spades, flowers, diamonds and hearts. She turned over the deck and tapped on it with her perfectly manicured nails. She showed him the cards again. King of Hearts. All of them. By now Daniel was grinning, none of the girls he met before ever succeed. The girl turned the deck and tapped on it again, when she turned it over it was back to normal.  
_"Haha, I must admit: I'm impressed. Very." _He smirked as she handed the deck back to him. Once again she blushed, it made her look younger.  
_"Don't be silly, Daniel. You already know how this trick works, don't you?."_  
_"Yes, but it's the first time I've seen a beautiful girl do it. Just tell me, how did you learn?" _She shrugged like it was no big deal.  
_"An old friend in high school was totally in love with magic, she taught me some stuff."_

He put down the now empty glass of whiskey, the ice melted long before. He didn't realize he was still holding it. It was what? _the second? maybe the third glass..._He couldn't remember. He ordered another one, the girl ordered a Sex on the Beach. That made him raise an eyebrow, she hadn't ordered a drink ever since they started talking.  
_"Are you sure you're old enough to drink?" _She stuck her tongue at him.  
_"I am or maybe I'm not..." _  
_"In that case how did you get a drink ?"_  
_"Well, my ID does say I'm twenty-one..." _She said leaning toward him. His eyebrow cocking up again.  
_"How old are you again? It wouldn't be gross if we-" _She laughed, her head thrown back and her hair shining under the dim lights of the pub.  
_"Yes yes, don't worry. Turning twenty-one this December." _

Her phone rang, no personalized ring tone, just that same old tingling jingle every mobile had.  
He couldn't hear the voice on the other end of the phone, but he was pretty certain it was a female the one he heard.  
_"Hello?- Oh, shoot! I forgot... I'm so sorry, I swear- No seriously I'm such a shitty person- No, don't worry, I'm fine. I just got caught up" _She looked at him and gave him and small smile. _"Sorry, gotta go" _she mouthed. He'd be lying if he said he wasn't a little upset when she said it, he just nodded and waved as she smiled one last time heading for the door still talking to the phone. Before she stepped out the pub she looke back and mouthed_ "See you, Daniel!" _and then he realized that even if she knew his name he didn't know hers. He spent the whole night with her, but he had been so caught up he never realized he forgot to ask her name or for her number.

Daniel quickly ran out side, it had started raining. He saw her standing at the edge of the sidewalk, her blond hair glistening because of the droplets of water and the city lights. She was craning her neck trying to find an empty cab.  
_"Hey! You never told me your name..." _She turned to him and smiled. God, she smiled a lot. Not that he was complaining.  
_"It's not like you asked."_  
_"Well, it's only fair. After all you do know mine." _He gave her his best lopsided smile, the one girls couldn't resist to. She giggled, her arm still in the air to get the cabs attention. She opened her mouth talk, but her taxi arrived.  
_"Okay, I guess this is my ride." _She reached in her pocket and gave him a neatly folded piece of paper. _"It was nice meeting you. Call me, I hope to see you again." _And like that she was gone.

When he got home he added her number in his phone contacts. Just like the past few days things weren't going as he thought. He wanted to have another one night stand with a pretty face among many, yet it was still early for his standards and he was layingin bed staring at a piece of paper. Staring at a _name _on a piece of paper.  
_Isabell.  
_

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_**I hope you liked it, please hit the review button below. That would make me very happy :) See you next chapter,  
****much love, personalescape**  
_


	2. Henley 1

_**Hey guys, I wanted to post earlier, but the last days of school were exhausting... I'll see if I can post another chapter tomorrow 'cause I'll be gone for a week (Monte Carlo, woot woot!) I'm not really sure about this one, I feel like I have to write more about Henley, to explore her character a bit. As a pro I like the way Isabell is turning out to be seeing, she wasn't even supposed to exist when I first thought about this whole story.  
Anyway I hope you all enjoy it.  
Once again everything you recognize ain't mine, sadly... **_

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_**Chapter 2**_

_**9**__**th**__** November 2005, New York**_

Henley Reeves was awake  
There was dry puke on her pullover, yes. She was hungover, yes. Aching all over, also yes.  
And now it was all worse, because she was awake and she could smell the vomit, hear her brain pounding, feel her muscles begging for some rest. To be honest she was supposed to be up hours ago, or at least so she thought. It was usually like this when she stayed up 'till late. She mentally cursed the day she got a fake ID. Checking the time on the huge wall clock in the living room she found out she was right: it was already 13.35... or was it 12.35? 14.35 maybe?  
Everything was still sort of blurry. She got up and glanced around quickly to take in her surroundings.  
_"Woah, woah. Easy there. Too quick, waaay too quick." _Her head was spinning and she felt close to faint or puke or maybe both. She repeated the action much slower. Turned out she wasn't laying on the bed or on the couch, she slept on the carpet, probably passed out while trying to reach the latter. Henley still had the clothes she wore the previous night on. _"Thank God I decided against wearing high heels or I would've ended up with a sprained ankle... Well, actually Thank Me." _Her beloved boots lay a meter away from her, her keys were on the floor next to her purse, and her jacket was on the sofa. Aside from those little details and her messy self, everything in the apartment seemed clean and fresh.  
_"Definitely not because of me." _she thought as she picked up her stuff from around the room. She decided she didn't feel so bad and made her way to the small kitchen to eat something.  
It took her a yogurt and half an apple to notice the neatly folded piece of paper sitting on the wooden table.

_Rise and shine, H-bomb. _  
_I hope you feel better than you looked when I left. _  
_Anyway I went to work, probably back around 13.30 with lunch and a long list of possible jobs. _  
_(If you're still up for it, of course.) _  
_There should be something in the fridge, we'll go to the grocery later today, okay?_  
_Clean up, you truly looked like hell._  
_-__much love, Is_

On days like this she loved her old classmate. The blondie was always happy and active, always ready to help. So much Henley felt bad for invading her flat without even having a job or something so they could split the rent. She could almost hear Is joke in her head _"It's not a big deal! That's what friends are for... or at least that's what friends with a distant rich father are for!" _  
She glanced at the clock a second time. It was only 12.50 so went to the bathroom, removed her clothes and took a quick, refreshing shower.

Henley just got out of the bathroom when she heard the door at the entrance shut.  
_"Hey, H-bomb! You awake?" _ someone screamed from across the apartment.  
_"Getting changed. Be there in five." _She yelled back_._  
She put on a pair of black jeans, a white t-shirt and a black and white sweater. She walked barefoot in the living room while drying her auburn locks with a towel. Her flatmate was gracefully placing on the small table in the middle of the room their lunch: pizza and french fries.  
_"So I have an idea.." _Is wasn't even looking at her, but by her tone Henley could understand that she was smiling. _"We could work together. You could apply tomorrow, we are looking for staff anyway. It could be cool." _  
_"At Starbucks? Sure. Better then nothing" _Then Blondie got a text and started to type lightly. They ate without saying a word, the silence was broken only by the buzzing of Is' phone. Henley thought of all the things she still had to do aside from finding a job. Half of her stuff was still to be unpacked and she still needed to get used to the "Big Apple" life-style. A small part of her brain whispered to her that probably no one called New York the _Big Apple_ anymore.

After another couples of minutes of silence, phone buzzing and again silence Is giggled at a text and this drawn her attention. Her flatmate was smiling like an idiot, staring at the screen of her phone; her hands typed extremely fast a reply. Another buzz. Is was blushing now.  
_"Ooookay... Mind telling me who got you grinning like the Cheshire Cat?" _She herself couldn't fight a smile at the sight. It was always nice to see her old friend like this, when she giggled she seemed like she came out of a happy fairy-tale.  
_"Remember the night you got here? Well, I was out and I met a guy. He's sort of the reason I forgot I was supposed to meet you at the station. I'm still sorry about that, by the way." _Her baby blue eyes were happy and sparkling even more than usual.  
_"Isabell, I told you already. Don't worry. I'm over it, I was never mad at you in the first place. So... this guy.. How is he? Would I approve?" _said the redhead in a teasing tone. Isabell's face lit up and clapped her hands excitedly. Sometimes Henley had troubles remembering that the girl in front of her was twenty.  
_"Absolutely! He has a passion for magic too, I showed him one of the tricks you taught me in high school." _Now it was her face's time to lit up. Henley loved magic, her grandma often told her it ran the family.  
_"He even makes street shows, I saw one once. He's amazing! He's so fast with his hands and he also has that kind of -ShowManBornForTheStage- vibe in him. He's really interesting, you know?" _Is went silent for a couple of seconds then added:  
_"Waaaaait a second! I think he mentioned something about moving to the next level. Stage shows, I mean. With an assistant and lights and a crowded theater." _The blond girl eyed carefully the red head.  
_"What are you thinking, Is?" _Replied a wary Henley.  
_"Nothing, just... In case you didn't feel like working in a boring coffee shop all day... Not that I don't want you there... _  
_I was just thinking, well ... about how _awesome _you are at magic, how awesome _he _is at magic. How much _visibility _it would give you, not to mention how _hot _you'd look in a shining, shimmery dress..." _Is looked at her hopefully and Henley couldn't help but throw her head back in laughter.  
_"Seriously?! Those dresses are ridiculous!"_  
_"Awww... C'm on! It'd be great! You used to dream about performing on a stage, doing your escape things. I know it may not be the same, but it's still a start right? Plus I'd have a reason to see him again" _Isabell gave her a puppy dog look, also a little part of her did want that job. It was better than Starbucks any day.  
_"Okay, okay. Just a meeting though. As much as I love magic, I'm not sure about this yet. But if you're going to go crazy for him we might at least have some leverage on him. A way to destroy his shows if he destroys your heart."_ They hugged and for a moment she thought Is was trying kill her by holding her extremely tight.  
After that they fell into a peaceful silence, every once in a while her flatmate would look up from her food and beam at her. Soon enough she was falling asleep in the living room again.

When she woke up the sun was setting, it was around 6 pm. She sat next to the wide window and stared at the sea of people walking by a few meters below her. She saw a little girl about 6 years old, her strawberry blond hair was in a ponytail, swinging back and fort as she nodded her head up and down happily. She was wearing a black furry coat, her face pale except for her button nose, red for the weather. It was a really cold November evening and she brought one of her gloved hands to her face. The other one was holding a man's hand, probably her father, and she kept glancing up to smile to him; the little kid laughed and, even if the only thing she could hear was the noise of the traffic, a different laughter echoed in her mind. So familiar and distant.  
A woman took the girl's other hand and they walked side by side out of her sight. Henley's chest got heavy, like it was suddenly getting harder to breath. The laughter echoing again in her head.

... A little girl sat on a swing in the back yard of her house, a small rag doll sitting on her lap as her feet went back and fort, barely reaching the ground. She had a little scratch on her left knee, she got it when she stumble over a rock a few days back. Her red hair hid her face like a curtain, it seemed so loud, like a warm yet unpredictable flame. A red visible dot in the white, candid snow. That was all that she was, her fiery red hair matching her crimson dress while her skin was milky white just like her stockings and her cardigan. All around her the snow covered everything.  
She kept swinging, slowly and silently until she heard the back door open. _"Sweetheart, what are you doing out there? Come back inside, you're gonna catch a cold." _Her father's eyes where the same color of the ice, yet the held a sweet warmth in them. Watching those eyes the girl felt safe and secure, as long as he was with her nothing could have hurt her. He was leaning on the doorstep while he shuffled a deck of cards.  
_" C'me here, I'm gonna show you a new trick."_  
She ran inside the house laughing. For a moment she forgot her mother wasn't going to join them on the couch.  
All that mattered was her father, his magic tricks and their laughter...

Henley was brought to reality by the sound of a laughter. Well, more like giggle, a bell like soft giggle that could only belong to Isabell. She turned around and saw her flatmate entering the room, her brown coat still on, her hand on her phone raised to her ear.  
_"She won't disappoint you. She's great-" _Is giggled at something the person on the phone said.  
_"Well, believe what you want, but she is real. Why should I make her up?" _another soft bell like sound.  
_"Haha. Then you'll see. - Sure, see you there, bye." _The girl turned to Henley with a wide smile on her face.  
"_You ready to go to the grocery?" _  
_"Yup, who was the one on the phone?" _She replied as she put her black coat on.  
_"The guy I told you magician. I got you an audition." _At this she raised an eyebrow, she wasn't expecting Isabell to call him right away.  
_"Already? Cool. When is it?"_  
_"This Thursday, at 6.00 pm. Good for you?" _She nodded.  
Henley honestly didn't know weather she was looking forward the meeting or not. She didn't know what to expect, but that night she stayed up 'till late again and this time she didn't drink. This time she was practicing magic tricks.

Four days later she was walking toward an old building, she was early and nervous. Not at all like she planned, then again she didn't really plan anything. She just wanted to get over it; work her magic, _literally, _and be done.  
She sat on a black chair, Henley played back in her head the tricks she was going to show him and felt her confidence build up again. She started to make the chair opposite to her spin. And it spun, spun, spun 'till a guy with curly, brown hair walked in.

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_**Woah, it's already 2.30 am here so I won't say much.  
Sorry for any grammar mistake whatsoever.  
Daniel chapter as soon as I can.  
and even if it has nothing to do with NYSM:  
IF YOU WATCH GAME OF THRONES AND YOU HAVEN'T SEEN EPISODE 8 *SPOILER ALERT*  
I wanted to take a minute to honor the memory of the truly awesome Red Viper. I loved you since the first Tyrion chapter you appeared in...  
House Martell will always be my favorite (along with the Starks DUH!)  
Unbowed.  
Unbent.  
Unbroken.**_

thanks for reading, now click the button review! :)


	3. Daniel 2

_**Heya! Guess who's back? :) I'm sorry for posting this chapter a little later than usual, got back just a couple of hours ago. I hope you're all enjoying the summer (even if technically it's not summer yet)  
As Always: I don't own this characters (except Is), nor the movie Now You See Me**_

_**I hope you like this, I must admit I wasn't planning for Daniel to be **_**so into**_** Isabell at first but I'm starting to like her and I think she'll be important during his jurney to become the J. Daniel Atlas we all know and love... **_

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_**Chapter 3**_

_**14**__**th **__**November 2005, New York**_

J. Daniel Atlas woke up at 6.30 am sharp, showered, got dressed and had breakfast. Just like he did the previous days. It was Friday morning and the city was already full of life: people yelling, car's horns and unknown noises filled the air. Another one joined the mix as his coffee-maker beeped, decaff. obviously, otherwise he would have ended with another panic attack in less then an hour. He rehearsed some of his newest tricks and made sure all of his deck cards were in perfect conditions. After a couple of hours he glanced at the clock in his small bedroom.  
_"10.30? Already?" _He always lost track of time when he was doing magic. He didn't bother to check his daily schedule and went to the door.  
_ "Another day of auditions... Yay!" _He thought with fake cheeriness, he stepped out of the building and almost run into a small woman. A flash of bright red invaded his vision. He took a step back and was about to snap at her. As he eyed her from head to toe the events of the day before came rushing in his mind.

_"You're 'Danny' right?" _ He entered the room and walked toward the stage.  
This was supposed to be the last audition of the day, Is' friend, but she wasn't supposed to be here 'till pm and it was only 5.45. A woman about the same age as Isabell was sitting across the room. _"She could be even younger than her" _he thought _"even shorter." _She was making the chair opposite to her spin on one leg with her foot. She was pretty fine, not as much as the blonde, but she was pretty enough. She was wearing tight, black jeans and an emerald shirt, the rolled sleeves reached her forearm in strong contrast with her milky white skin. She stood up and threw her coat on the desk. Half of the pile of paper that was once neatly on the table fell to the ground.  
_" You messed my paper work." _  
He glared at her from above the stage, but she kept her eyes on him, not flinching under the intense stare.  
_"Those were the other girls curriculums."_  
_"Curricula." _Her voice as loud as the red hair on her head.  
_"What?"_  
_"Curriculum' s plural is 'curricula', not curriculums. Basic Latin." _Her small and light steps on the wooden floor were unusually quick. Her green flats barely making any noise. Now she was standing next to him: she was tiny, a few inches shorter than him.  
_"Well, I needed those _curriculums_" _He replied stubbornly.  
_"Not after me, Danny."_ She flashed him a cheeky grin.  
_"Do. Not. Call. Me. Danny." _

_"Henley, right?" _He couldn't believe he forgot about her. About finally finding the right assistant.  
When he first saw her the day before he never would have imagined she was _that _good, her talent was wasted for a simple assistant, not that he was ever going to admit it to her, she was already too annoying for his liking.  
_  
" Good Morning to you too _Danny_." _Unfortunately she was as great as unbearable.  
_"How many times do I have to tell you not to call me like that?"  
_Side by side they started to walk. The old rehearsal room Daniel always used was fifteen minutes away, in the back of his mind he hoped she would keep quite. It didn't work.  
_"Sooooo... what are we doing to day?"  
__"Scheduling, mostly. I still want to test you, see your whole potential and decide what you're going to do."_  
If she was bothered by the way he talked, the way he acted like she was a lab animal, she didn't show. He took a small deck of cards from the back pocket of his jeans and started to shuffle it, from the corner of his eye Daniel could see her turn to him. For a second Henley looked at his hands, her hazel eyes following the quick movements, a far away look appeared in her face as she stared at the cards. When she caught him looking she moved her eyes away and talked again. He didn't bother to listen _"If it's important she'll probably repeat it later."_

They got there shortly later and started to work almost immediately. Truth to be told he was the one doing most of the job. He brought with him a calendar and a few papers with blank tables printed on them. Daniel started writing down all the tricks he could think of on a blank page of his notebook and all the things they would have needed for a show.  
Henley tried to talk to him, more then once. He ignored her. It went like this for almost an hour and half.  
Sometimes the redhead would talk about work related things, she gave up trying to have a real conversation long before. They exchanged opinions, nothing much thou, just brief, serious sentences. No jokes, no personal stuff. Nothing. Another couple of minutes passed in complete silence, Daniel was trying to calculate how much the ticket should have costed while Henley was checking the tricks he listed.

A soft humming noise spread around the room, far from loud, but still audible. It was the rhythm of an old song,_" 'Fly me to the moon' maybe?" _Glancing around he saw Henley sitting on the floor a few meters from him with a pen hanging from her lips. She was slightly nodding her head up and down. Feeling him throwing daggers at her with his eyes she looked up and stopped humming. Henley raised her hands in the air in mock surrender and huffed when he turned back to his work. Even across the room Daniel could _feel _her moving; she walked to the black plastic table he was working on. He could see her from the corner of his eye standing next to him, picking up papers, putting them on the table, watching closely what he was doing. She was messing the order of his stuff again; he wondered if she was doing it purposely. _"Probably seeing how annoying she is..."_  
She took the calculator, a pile of blank paper and moved to the other part of the room again. Daniel stopped working to sort out all the papers she moved, _again._

Another sound started to echo around them, slower but definitely louder.  
_Tap... Tap...Tap, tap...Tap...Tap...Tap, tap _Then the pace picked up.  
_Tap...Taptap...Tap...Taptap _Constant like a beating heart. He tried to ignore it and kept working, but soon it became faster and faster, and somewhat stronger.  
_Taptaptaptaptaptaptaptaptaptaptaptaptaptaptaptaptaptaptaptaptaptaptaptaptaptaptaptaptap._  
_"You plan to do this all day?!" _His voice was harsher and louder than he wanted.  
_"Oh goodness, Daniel. Chill, okay?" _  
_"We don't have to _chill. _We. Have. To. Work." _He pointed at sea of pages sitting in front of him.  
_"_ I _have a show to plan. Erase that. _SHOWS._ So if you don't plan to take it seriously, at least let me do my job!"_  
After that she became as silent as a ghost. For a while it was like she wasn't even there. No soft humming, no pen tapping, he couldn't feel her move around the room.  
When he looked up from his notebook he realized why he couldn't hear her. "_She left..."_

He couldn't work after that.  
_"Ugh... Do I have to find my self another assistant?" _Different thoughts run through his mind.  
_"Well, good riddance. She was way too annoying." _He glanced around to see if she left anything; he looked outside to see if she was outside taking a break. _Nothing. _  
_"She just left? Like that? The least she could do was warn me she didn't have the gut, _nor _the talent to do serious magic." _He tried to work again, and it worked for a few minutes.  
_"Who am I kidding? She was the best who auditioned. And she could have helped me with Isabell."_  
Huffing, he stood up and started pacing around. This was not going like he planned.  
If she came back he wasn't going to apologize, he decided. It was _her _fault after all. She was the one bothering him.  
_"Maybe a conversation could do." _A real conversation. No "sorry" or whatever, but he was going to answer her questions. _"I'll lie if I have to, wouldn't be the first time I make things up to get on a girl's good side" _He thought, sure it was the first time he used lies on a girl that he didn't want to have sex with.

Twenty minutes passed and Henley still wasn't there. A part of him wanted to write on his online site that the auditions were on again, already making a back up plan in his mind. The other part of him wanted to wait, in case she came back.  
_"I could call her... Or Isabell they do live together after all, and it would give me an excuse to hear her again" _  
He stared at the phone and put it down after a couple of seconds, he wasn't acting like himself, this wasn't J. Daniel Atlas, this was Danny acting and he decided long ago to bury that kid, along with all the awkwardness, insecurity and panic attacks.  
Yet, somehow, he found himself reaching for the phone and hitting the 'call' button. She picked up almost immediately. Her sweet, warm voice asked him how he was doing.  
_"It's alright, doing some planning. How about you?" _God, sometimes he hated her, she was nice and it made him want to be Danny again. He took a deep breath, he wasn't going to allow that. He was J. Daniel Atlas.  
_"It's all good, I guess. Not that I mind that you called, but why? Aren't you working?"_  
_"It's about you friend, the flatmate: Henley Reeves-"_  
_"Oh, yeah. She called me ten minutes ago, told we're all getting dinner together and then chill out at a pub she knows." _If Isabell could have seen him at the moment she would find him frowning in confusion. _"I knew you guys would get along. So 8.00?"_  
_"How about 7.30 in front of my apartment? You still remember the address, right?" _He said in his smoothest Atlas voice, all charm and confidence.  
_"See you there."_ Is hung up and less then twenty seconds later he heard the sound of small steps.

He turned around and there she was. His redheaded nightmare was standing at the door looking like nothing happened, like she hadn't been away for half an hour. She looked exactly like the moment he ran into her in front of his apartment earlier that day except for the two light brown paper bags she was holding. There was also something different, but he couldn't quite decide what it was.  
_"Hmmm... don't know if you noticed, but it's 1.00 pm already so I went to a cheap fast food. Didn't know what you wanted, I got you the same thing as me." _She put the bags on the table and took the food out. Henley looked at him and smiled. For the first time it was a genuine one. _"Her eyes.." _He thought they looked less challenging, more friendly _"they're softer. Nicer." _A part of his brain also told him that they were rather pretty, but he ignored it.  
_"I talked to Isabell. Why did you tell her we're going out?"_  
_" She seems to like you. Also take it as an apology, you were right I guess. I should take this whole thing more seriously. I do care about the shows, you know?" _He didn't know what to say so he just nodded.  
_"I'm going to try harder, but you have to promise you'll do your best too. And I don't mean the magic, I mean us. If we're going to work together the least we can do is be friends. So, you'll do it?"_  
_"Let's say I'll try, but we'll do this my way."_ She raised her perfectly shaped eyebrow but didn't reply anything.  
He set the papers aside to eat next to her; the food was amazing, not exactly healthy _"It is fast food after all..." _and also very fattening.  
_"You're not gonna fit those typical assistant dresses, if we keep eating like this." _He said with a smirk, she glared at him.  
_"Does this mean I won't have wear them?" _Daniel flashed her a cocky grin.  
_"No, that's the best thing about assistants." _She rolled her eyes, a small smile on her lips. They looked at each other and started laughing. They didn't know it, but they were thinking the same thing.  
_"Let the show begin."_

* * *

**_Wowww... It feels like years ago that I wrote this! I don't usually re-read much a chapter if I already started/finished the chapters after it, because I always end up changing half of the stuff and that would mean also changing the others. I have to say, though, that I like where this is going. The story is basically writing itself, so I don't know what will happen. I know how I_ wish _it'll end, but knowing me I'll probably change my mind along the way.  
Well, everything is just getting started :)_**

_**Read&Review **_


	4. Henley 2

_**Heya! I'm back with another chapter (DUH!)  
Anyway, (you probably don't care) I was thinking about posting this yesterday or this morning, but my computer was completely dead and I couldn't find my charger.**_

**Time is flying, I must say. I can't believe that the first chapter was posted 4 WEEKS AGO! Which is about little more than how long Daniel and Isabell have known each other.**  
**This is once again an even chapter so Henley is back and things will start to develop (_emotion-wise I mean)._**

**__****DISCLAIMER: You already know NYSM ain't mine *sigh* and if you didn't .. well, now you know :I**  
Enjoy, Read&Review 3

* * *

_**Chapter 4**_

_**2**__**nd **__**December 2005, New York**_

Henley Reeves and Atlas saw each other and rehearsed for almost a month straight. Everyday, every hour, every minute she was awake she was thinking about magic. It was eating her time, but she didn't mind. She didn't mind waking up at dawn or working 'till late.  
She was getting used to it, sometimes she was so focused and determined she tuned Isabell out. More than once she had to spend the day with Daniel, hearing him rant, demand and order around. She started to tune him out too, and if she did listen to him she'd think that is it was the price of magic than she didn't mind.  
Often Is joked that she had a crush for the magician  
_"Wow H-Bomb, if all your complains about him are true than why aren't you quitting, huh? The old you would have already called herself out... Don't tell me you have a soft spot for him.. Wouldn't be surprising. You _LOOOVE _magic." _followed by giggles and idle attempts to hide away from the stuff Henley threw her way. And then the redhead would reply that Daniel was her least favorite thing about the job. And it wasn't even a lie.  
Sure they never argued, never on a "okay-I-give-up-don't-ever-talk-to-me-again" level, but they bickered and disagreed pretty much all the time. Also he was a control freak; at first Henley didn't give it much thought, but after a few days she realized he truly had a problem and it was getting annoying as hell. Somehow though she was sort of okay with it. A part of her wished she could say that the reason was unknown, but deep down she knew the truth, she knew that a hidden part of her actually liked Atlas.  
Then again, not really. First she didn't _like _like him, Isabell would have killed her if she did, second she didn't mean _him _as in Atlas, but the other part of him: _Danny._  
At the start Henley thought her partner (_"Boss.." _a part of her brain that she decided to ignore whispered to her) had multiple personality issues; there were days when he seemed oh so different.

There was Atlas, the magician and the charmer, the guy she met on the very first day. He was self-centered and mean at times. He was the dominant one, the one Daniel was most of the time, he couldn't take a joke and was always a hundred percent obsessed with being the number one. Then there was Danny and he was far better. He was nice while Atlas was tactless, he smiled as much as the other smirked. Sometimes a little bit of the nice part would shine through the cracks of his inflexible facade: when they practiced tricks he came up with or when he thought she wasn't looking. But mostly it happened when Isabell was there with them. Now that she thought of it she couldn't recall Daniel ever showing her flatmate the other part of himself.  
This thought bothered her a little. She couldn't help but wonder if maybe one of those sides of him was fake, if he was pretending to be someone he wasn't.

That cold December morning, as he smiled, she decided that as long as he kept showing her _Danny _once in a while, she could handle Atlas.

_ "He should smile more... It's way nicer than his usual smirk." _God, she didn't know where that came from.  
Danny stood at 7.00 sharp in front of their apartment, ready to take Isabell out for breakfast. The blond was in her room getting ready, leaving them alone in the kitchen. Henley was drinking a cup of coffee in silence while he was playing with a red poker chip. He looked up, opened his mouth to tell her something but a smile, a real smile, appeared on his face instead. He wasn't looking at her, he was looking past her shoulder where Isabell was standing in casual clothes. A light grey sweather matching her eyes and dark blue jeans, even if she wasn't very tall she still looked like a model in everyone's eyes.  
_"That's the birthday girl!" _Daniel tone was softer than the one he used when he commented on her magic skills or when they talked about the shows. A bright smile shone on her flatmate's face. Little later they were gone, not before sharing a super cheesy, super out of character (at least for Daniel) kiss in front of her.  
The little part of her that liked the magician chocked a little at the sight.  
_"I swear, one of this days I'm going to find that stupid, tiny part of me and strangle it with my bare hands!" _This kind of thoughts popped in her head more times than the acceptable amount (which was about _zero_) This thoughts weren't allowed, not toward him. He was annoying, had a huge ego and he was dating the closest thing to a best friend that Henley had. And did she mention he was annoying as hell.  
_"Annoying. Remember that: annoying."_ She kept saying that inside her head until she started to sound like a 4 years old girl to her own ears... well, mind actually.

Now that Isabell was gone for the whole day Henley didn't have much to do and with Daniel out with the blond girl, she didn't have to go to rehearsal. She tried to clean the apartment, but ever since she arrived in town she didn't have time to leave anything out of place that her flatmate was already tidying it up.  
_"Well, looks like they are a couple made in Heaven..." _She chuckled at the thought of her partner being connected to Heaven _"he's more of a hellish creature..."_  
The only part of the house that was still messy was her room, it looked like her floor had eaten everything just to throw it up in a colorful chaos.  
She put in the closet all of her clothes that were either on the floor or the bed or the yellow bean bag or... you get the idea. Even with those gone there were boxes, open and not, on the floor and half of her wardrobe was still in her suitcases. She had planned to unpack gradually, but after staring to work with Daniel she never had a break, at times she didn't want a break. Every night she'd fall asleep early feeling exhausted and in the morning go almost immediately to rehearse. It was a routine she was used to by now.  
This was the first day she had for herself in a very long time and she still had to figure out what to to do to fill her days. Now that almost every trick was perfect she and Daniel decided to take a couple days of break a week. Reading sounded like a good idea, she still had a long list of books she wanted to buy.  
Instead of going to the book shop she ended up staring at the top shelf in the living room where tons of DVDs where neatly standing side by side.  
She wasn't really sure what she wanted to watch, there where old black and white movies and a few that had just came out. She ended up watching _"Shakespeare in Love" _but fell asleep somewhere in between Viola kissing William while in disguise and her finding out he was married.

She forgot to close the window and the cold almost-winter weather woke her up, on the TV the DVD was back on the main menu. She got up from the couch slowly and made her way to the kitchen. She was supposed to meet Is and Daniel at his apartment to spend a casual night in for her birthday; it wasn't really her idea of fun night, not if it included them being all cute, mushy and corny or worse... _horny._  
She grimaced in disgust at the very thought and started baking, it was one of her ways to fight stress. This and a bunch of other stuff she used to do with her grandma: knitting, reading, listening to old fashioned music, that kind of things. It was only 4.30 pm and she still had time so she settled for a vanilla and chocolate cake, Is' favorite, wondering what her friend and her boss where doing.  
_"Ugh! It sounds wrong on way to many levels." _She thought.  
After that she started doing some magic tricks sitting on the floor, checking the oven every once in a while. She did the ones Daniel would never let her do during a show, the ones where he wasn't needed. She tried to untie the knots at her ankles as quickly as possible, the chronometer on the floor next to her. Then she moved to cuffs and locks, after what felt like just a few minutes the timer rang announcing that the 50 minutes were over and Henley covered the whole cake in homemade frosting and chocolate bits.

Less then half an hour later she was standing before Daniel's door trying to fish the spare key out of her jeans' pocket. It was strictly for emergency, he said, but she didn't feel like staying in her apartment doing nothing.  
When she got in she was shocked to see his flat, it wasn't nearly as big as theirs, but it wasn't this that surprised her. It was unusually messy, not as much as her room was, but it definitely didn't reach _"the Atlas standard"_ neat. She started looking through his belongings, pretending to clean up.

_"Gosh, how many cards does he have?" _She asked herself as she picked up another deck. It must have been the fifth in twenty minutes, from her spot she could place at least another two, plus the deck he kept in his back pocket, the one in his jacket and the one in he carried in his bag everywhere. She wondered when did she start to notice this things and continued cleaning around.

_H-bomb, I tried to call you earlier..._  
_Danny and I are going to the theater. We'll be a little late, but he thinks we should really watch this movie._  
_Don't wait for us if you don't feel like it, we won't be there 'till later_  
_I'll make it up to you, promise._

Henley read the message again and again.  
It was official, she hated him. Never in their many years of friends she has Isabell ever ditched her. Never.  
She should have seen it coming it was almost midnight already and they still weren't back.  
A small part of her wanted to go in his room and tear it down, it was hard enough when he was stealing all of her day now he took the only friend she had. She was standing in his room, looking at the pictures on the dashboard. Five, six tops, the rest was covered in post-its and plans and schedule, covering almost completely a picture of a little Daniel. He must have been four, he had the same sweet smile and the bright look on his face he always had when he explained her the new tricks. _"It would be easier to like you if you always looked this happy and innocent... Jerk."_  
He was trying to get rid of her, she was sure of it, and she wasn't going to let him.  
_"Oh God, sometimes I really do sound like a psycho..." _but that didn't mean she wasn't right.  
_"I'm only doing this to ruin his plans to have sex" _she told herself _"because I don't like him." _she chanted it like a mantra so her hatred for him would grow stronger. She laid down on his bed, his scent invading her nose. _"You hate him. You hate him... youhatehimyouhatehim..."_ She fell asleep repeating those words, still not quite knowing they were the biggest lie she ever told herself.

When she woke up in the middle of the night and saw him standing a few meters from her she wasn't sure it was real or just a dream. It had to be the latter, because he was smiling at her, a nice and real smile and he was telling her to keep sleeping. He wasn't supposed to be smiling and make her feel whatever she was feeling, it wasn't this her plan, but honestly she didn't mind.

* * *

**I hope you liked it!  
****Thanks for reading and don't give up the ship!  
****much love, personalescape.  
****P.S. Happy 1st Day of Summer to all of you 3**


	5. Daniel 3

**Heya! Another weekend, another chapter!  
I've literally spent this week fangirling around because it's official: THERE WILL BE A SEQUEL! Yep guys, I've been doing some research and rumor has it "_Now You See Me 2_" is in pre-production. Same cast, different director. Can't wait! *o*  
**

**Also, I've been thinking about the direction I want this fanfiction to take and I really don't know what's going on inside my head because suddenly I feel like changing the whole ending I first thought about. Which makes no sense 'cause I liked it... But you're not here to read about future possible problems, so I'll stop writing about it. :)  
****Soooo... we've seen Henley trying to convince herself that she truly dislikes Daniel and now it's time to see what's happening in his brain. This is, I think, the longest chapter so far and I really hope you enjoy it.**

_DISCLAIMER: I do not own Now You See Me, Henley Reeves or J. Daniel Atlas or anything you probably already know isn't mine..._

* * *

_**Chapter 5**_

**[EIGHT DAYS AGO]  
**

_**3rd December 2005, New York**_

_J. Daniel Atlas walked hand in hand with Isabell Laurys. _  
_It was somewhere between very late and very very late, although someone might say that, to be precised, it was extremely early. Point is it was about 3 am. They were slowly making their way out of the theater. It was twenty minutes from Is' flat, barely ten minutes from his and he hoped for her to stay the night, wanting their date to continue especially if it was the way he imagined. But Henley ruined his plans._  
_"It's amazing how unnerving that girl can be even when she's not around." He thought bitterly._  
_Isabell wanted to go home, sleep and cook her friend breakfast to apologize for ditching her. He couldn't bring himself to be upset, it only made him like her more. She truly seemed like the perfect girl. "Unlike her stubborn friend." _

_Their mutual niceness toward each other lasted for a couple of days, then the disagreements started. She wasn't supposed to fight back, if he wanted to change the plans he did. It was _his _show after all. _  
_His new girlfriend thought the whole situation was hilarious. Sure at first she was a tad upset that they weren't getting along as she hoped, but after a while she found their way of turning down the other's ideas just to irk one another pretty fun._  
_"Because that's what Henley does, it's not like she has better ideas than me. She simply wants to mess my plans." _  
_Oh, how he hated working in group..._

_The worst thing was realizing she acted like this only with him. When he saw her change the way she acted around Isabell he thought it was some sort of only exception, later he understood it was the opposite. It was with him that she acted differently and not a good way of 'different'. Although always headstrong, with Daniel she was more stubborn, she seemed to enjoy not following the rules or the plans, she was more reckless when he was around. Like she was trying to prove to him that sometimes a little chaos in everyday's life was what everyone secretly needed. The fact it kind of hurt him was something he tried to keep for himself, hidden away, but some nights before going to bed he wondered why she acted like that, his heart feeling a little squeeze._

_The same way his hand was being squeezed now, bringing him back to reality. _  
_The beautiful blond was smiling at him, her other hand was raised in the air waiting for a cab to stop and take her home._  
_"What the hell is wrong with you, Atlas? Why are you thinking about that stubborn, uncontrollable ball of fire when this perfect, nice girl with baby blue eyes is standing next to you?!" He didn't bother to answer that unspoken question as the taxi pulled in. Daniel helped her after giving her a kiss, she was apologizing for the "early" end of their night again and he joked that he knew a few ways she could make it up to him with a wink. _  
_"Well, it is only half a joke actually..." he thought as she left._

_He arrived home at 3.20 am. Isabell was probably already asleep since he took his time walking back to his apartment. When he checked the time on his phone he noticed 4 text and 2 missed calls, all from Isabell. He was about to read the messages, but his girlfriend's number popped up on his caller ID._  
_She was talking fast, but he understood a few words like "Henley", "home", "note" and "missing". Daniel tried to calm his girlfriend saying that Henley was a grown woman no matter how tiny she looked and that she would have come back home eventually._  
_To be honest it was a very un-Henley thing to do, there was a silent agreement in the Laurys/Reeves apartment that caught Daniel's eye almost immediately: the constant 'note-on-the-dinner-table-in-case-you-leave'. Even for the smallest things like going to the coffee shop across the street._  
_He wondered and wondered where Henley was as he stumbled in his room, leaving his shoes somewhere on the floor. _

_Fortunately__ he decided to turn the light on or else he would have never noticed the small figure curled up on the left side of his bed. He took a step back confused, taking in the sight in front of him. Henley Reeves looked as tiny as a twenty years old woman could get, she was sleeping on her right side clutching the pitch black blankets that reached just beneath her chin with her pale long fingers. The dark blue color of the pillow case made her hair look all the more vivid, like a warm bonfire burning through the night. Her chest was rising and falling slowly, her breath calm and steady. _  
_She looked peaceful and nice and.. "Truly lovely." he thought and he didn't even try to take it back because in that moment she really did. Daniel almost woke her up, but having her asleep and most importantly not making any sort of noise was a much more appealing thought than having to handle a fully awake, loud, stubborn Henley walking around in his apartment._

_Found her, she's fine_  
_ Asleep, she was probably waiting for us._  
_Stop worrying._  
_I'll send her home first thing in the morning, now go to sleep._  
_Once again Happy Birthday, see you tomorrow._

_Henley must have been a light sleeper because she woke up when he accidentally knocked over a lamp as he put away his phone. She had a small smile on her face as her eyes fluttered open. She looked at him, sleepy and confused. He chuckled a little, never has he ever saw her so innocent. "Go back to sleep" he whispered with an honest smile _  
_"It's still early, keep sleeping"._

_When he saw the state his messy apartment was (actually not so messy now) he asked himself how in the world hadn't he realized someone came over immediately. Everything was neater and cleaner, even his multiple decks of cards were piled up on his living room table. "Who knew someone like Henley could be so organized... If this is what I get for ditching her I'll do it more often from now on."_  
_What surprised him the most was a beautiful cake in his kitchen; he didn't know what flavor it was, but it seemed delicious, all covered in light pink and sky blue frosting. A part of him imagined Henley working on it. Calm and peaceful just like she looked in this moment laying in his room, unlike the way she usually was with him. He wondered if he was ever going to see her that way while awake. _  
_He doubted it._

_**[NOW]**_  
_**11**__**th **__**December 2005, New York**_

He remembers very little after that. Falling asleep on the couch. Taking Henley home and eating that pink and blue cake.  
He found himself thinking about her sometimes, during rehearsal and after, trying to see the changes in her personality when he wasn't around and when he'd end up think about her in a way he shouldn't have somehow they got in a fight and things would get back to normal. Isabell was always there, making everything better (sometimes though he thought that her presence was actually worsening the whole situation) reminding him how much Henley wasn't her and how much he liked _her_ better. Even this thought bothered him, he wasn't supposed to like one of them _better_, it wasn't like he planned; he was supposed to have eyes for Is only, Is and magic. Nothing more.  
Today the thing that was bugging him still revolved around these two girls who entered his life in an intoxicating way. _"They do have some things in common. Like different shades of the same color."_

He didn't know how they ended up talking about personalities, he must have mentioned something about it or maybe she was just talking _"She seems to enjoy saying random stuff about Henley and herself." _He was in the kitchen while Isabell was cooking, her hair was tied up in a messy bun, a white apron over her light blue dress. With Henley gone for the weekend everything was quiet.  
_"I'm a Sagittarius of the period between the last days of November and the first days of December." _she said _"Always Optimistic, generous and loving with myself as well as with others, determined and adventurous."_  
_"You believe in that stuff?" _He replied not taking her seriously.  
_"Well, everyone says I'm like that and it fits the descriptions so... why not? I like to think it helps me understand people better." _She looked up from the vegetables she was cutting to give him a loving smile.  
_"Oh, really? And what does it say about me?" _Daniel never in his life took seriously horoscopes, only now he could see the appeal, through a young, blond, intelligent girl. She giggled as he took a step closer, his hand moving closer to hers to take away the knife she was holding. _"Is it possible for someone to hold a knife gracefully?" _he asked himself _"It must be, because she can."_  
_"Its says many, many things ." She stood on her tip-toes to give him a chaste kiss, her lips barely touching his._  
_"It says you're magnetic" she gave him another kiss._  
_"charismatic" another kiss _  
_"enthusiastic" another one. _  
_"Idealistic and dramatic" kiss-kiss._  
_"A lot of 'tic's then." said Daniel with a grin. She laughed too, but continued the list of adjectives._  
_" -confidant. Powerful. Broad minded. Strong-willed." Isabell kept giving him a kiss for each trait, he hoped Leos had lots of them._  
_"What else?" he held her close, gently placing the knife on the counter._  
_"It says you like to have the upper hand, that you're an unpredictable but passionate lover and a _superb _kisser_" she replied putting a mocking emphasis on 'superb'. She stopped herself before adding something and took a little step back.  
_"What?"_  
_"It's silly" _she started cooking again _"you'll think I'm weird, or that that's the only reason I'm dating you." _  
_"You can tell me. I already think you're a weirdo, so..."_ She laughed a little shaking her head, but told him anyway without looking at him in the eyes.  
_"It says you fit well with Aries and Aquarius and well.. me. Leo and Sagittarius are quite the match."_  
She was smiling to her self, a soft blush on her cheeks. He chuckled and gave her a kiss where she was reddest, on her super high cheekbone. She kept cooking, sometimes looking up to smile at him, but never too long.

_"Why are you doing this, Is? I mean I get that you like your kitchen, but you've been literally cutting up vegetables and all that sort of thing since 9 am. It's almost 13.30. How much do you exactly think I'll eat?" _She stuck her tongue at him.  
_"It's not for you! Today is a special day and I want everything to be perfect when Henley gets here." _ She opened the oven, took the chocolate cake and put it next to the dozen biscuits with an arrow on them.  
Isabell's phone buzzed and so did Daniel's, it was Henley. Sometimes it seemed like that girl could read minds.

On my way up, if you were doing something gross please get dressed.  
I want you both decent by the time I get to the apartment.  
I'd rather not throw up. At least not today ;)

He looked at his girlfriend who was searching in various drawers, at the end pulling out a small blue lighter.  
_"Am I the only one who doesn't know what happens today?" _He asked impatiently.  
Thinking back at it he should have gotten the hints earlier. A cake, biscuits with arrows and some of Henley's favorite meals.  
_"I didn't tell you? I thought it was obvious. Why do you think I started to tell you about horoscopes in the first place? Remember, the whole thing about me and Henley being different, yet similar?" _He nodded, still not getting the connection.  
_"She's Sagittarius too, only she's a middle December one. More stubborn and hot-tempered. But still a Sagittarius." _She smiled as she lit up exactly twenty-one candles.

Right then he heard the door open and close, Henley's loud voice announcing she was home.  
She sounded sweeter and happier than normal.  
_"Do I smell cookies?" _She asked from the doorway.  
_"Cookies and cake. Welcome Home birthday girl." _Isabell was practically singing with delight and she wasn't the only one. The redhead probably thought he had something to do with the whole thing because she was smiling at him too. A real smile. Lovely, gorgeous even. Her hazel eyes shining as she was saying something about San Francisco and an old woman in house-care, her grandmother maybe?  
Daniel didn't know, nor cared. As Henley blew the candles and Isabel sang _"Happy Birthday To You" _a single thought ran through his head.  
_"Leo and Sagittarius are quite the match."_

* * *

***A/N* Happy 21st Birthday to Henley! Yay! I don't know about you, but I Loooove astrology and all that. In fact there's a reason if Daniel is a Leo and Henley is a Sagittarius. If what I read is true than those are the most fitting signs for them in my opinion. 3  
Also, I'm starting to hate creating Is 'cause she's actually nice, but she'll have disappear somehow later on, to make space to Danley... **

**_Let me know what you think by reviewing, that would make me really happy :)_**

**See you next week,  
**_**personalescape**_


	6. Henley 3

_**Heya! Gosh, this week was a fast one, it felt just like a couple of days... I  
can't believe it's already July! It's the month of the Cancer, yay!  
Keep enjoying your summer guys! I'm not sure if I'll be able to post because my Internet connection has been coming and going like a roller-coaster for days now, plus it's my birthday next week!  
Please tell me what you think of all this, the story is getting longer and longer as the weeks go and it'd make me really happy. Critics are welcomed too, at least I'll be able to fix whatever needs to be fixed.  
Now back with Henley, but first**_**  
DISCLAIMER: I do not own Now You See Me, believe me if I did Danley would have been all over the place...****  
**

* * *

_**Chapter 6**_

_**24**__**th **__**December 2005, New York**_

Henley Reeves had never been more nervous and excited.  
Ever since she came back from San Francisco, on her birthday, everything seemed to move in flash-forward. During this last period Daniel decided to rehearse every day again and again. When they weren't practicing they were either discussing about the show, eating or sleeping. She thanked God Isabell wasn't a clingy person, although she did point out they were kind of neglecting her.  
Henley and Daniel were so busy making sure everything was perfect they didn't even have the time to argue; there were times when they worked so well together, extremely in sync, it was pleasantly surprising. The past four days she found herself muttering the list of tricks they were going to do to herself, stare at the bathroom mirror repeating her lines, smiling more than she ever did in her entire life, so much the muscles on her face were starting to hurt. She lost count of how many times she tried each on of her 'costumes', she still thought they were ridiculous, but for a reason she doesn't even remember she had agreed on putting them.  
While her emotional state seemed to worsen as the big they got closer Daniel became more calm as the day passed. She found it irritating, _"He's whole being seems to be so." _, and just a bit captivating; during rehearsal she sometimes liked to watch him from the backstage, as she waited her moment to walk on stage. He was always at ease up there, even when he got angry; in command, giving orders to the crew, he was in hi element.  
_"That light needs to be softer. You're not supposed to be blinding me! ... I need a spotlight on Henley, it has to be a little lower than mine." _This was usually her cue to enter the scene.  
"_ Am I speaking Japanese? No? Then how come YOU STILL HADN'T DONE IT THE RIGHT WAY!" _And this her one to go and save the poor crew member suffering The Atlas Wrath as Isabell often called it.  
As she watched him she understood the meaning of the words her friend once told her, back when she still didn't know him, he was born to be on a stage. Not that Henley was ever going to tell him that, his ego was already to big enough to fit a whole house.  
Every time he wasn't working with her, he was doing tricks on his own, mostly with cards. At first analyzing him was something she did without really thinking, she understood it became a habit the moment she realized she could recognize the different decks he used. He kept an old looking Stripper Deck that he barely used, two Svengali Decks: one red and the other green; sometimes he carried around a Marked Deck and a Mental Photography Deck.

Daniel always played with them, almost obsessively; he reminded her of her father, his hair just as curly, his hands just as fast. Those memories pained Henley deep inside, she wondered what her relatives would do or think if they knew she once again was entering the dangerous world of magic. Her family got destroyed by magic many years ago, more than once, the only member left was in San Francisco, ran away there from Scotland to start a new life. But magic was Henley's guilty pleasure and, if what her grandmother said was true, it was also her parent's.

Sometimes, much more than she liked to admit, when this train of thoughts invaded her mind she did consider giving everything up like she told her father once, leave New York even and go back to her old life in San Fran, but she couldn't do it now. Not now: after the sleepless night and the exhausting days, not now with Daniel counting on her, Isabell rooting for her and not without proving herself that she could do it. Not now that she had spent time, money and energy on the whole project. Not now that she finally remembered why she used to love magic so much and for so long. Now she could perform each and every one of their tricks with her eyes closed. Her anxiety was giving her so much energy and increasing her worries that she thanked the non-stop magic practice for draining her to the point she almost couldn't get to her bed before passing out, otherwise she would have spent her nights either worrying or rehearsing. And that wouldn't have been really good; unfortunately the past three days they slowed their pace and she wasn't at all exhausted meaning she had always to much energy in her system, making it hard to fall asleep. More than once both her flatmate and Daniel threatened her to give her sleeping pills to calm her down, she was almost sure that they truly did it the previous night.

Today was the day and Henley was about to lose it. Daniel was looking at her new collection of barely covering dresses, all glittery and shimmery laid out on her bed, and she let him do whatever he wanted because she was too worried about the ways their night could end to mind what the magician was going to make her wear. Isabell sat on her yellow bean bag across the room telling her boyfriend what she thought was the most appropriate dress for their first show. For every one of them her partner had a suit and tie to match. They were both investing a huge amount of money on this they didn't know what they would do if it didn't all go as they expected. And soon enough she would have found out that things were not like they planned.

They were better. Everything was better than she had ever imagined.  
Isabell sat in the front row, in a velvet red arm chair, wearing a mesmerizing, elegant, long, black dress with a deep cut running along the left side revealing her rosy leg; her blond hair was pinned to a side in soft waves by a fake crimson rose, on her slender neck there was a necklace just the same color. Her blue eyes were trying to go far enough and see behind the massive curtains to catch a glimpse of what happened 'behind the scenes'. The magician never let Is watch a full show, not once. Just as she wondered why he never did, Henley felt someone move behind her.

_"Hey, I was looking for you." _J. Daniel Atlas never looked more dashing than tonight. Clad in a pitch black suit, with a black shirt and black shoes, the only thing not of that color were the dark red silky handkerchief gracefully folded in his jacket's pocket and his tie, so very similar to the way his girlfriend was dressed. _"Sometimes I wonder why Isabell likes him... Right now is not one of those moments."_ He gave her a small smile. _"Definitely not one of those moments." _She thought. Then she remembered he was addressing her, the only person near the curtains.  
_"Danny! Have you seen how many people are in there?" _She felt like a little girl, excited just as much as she was before the annual school play. _"Can you believe they're here for _this?_ For us!" _  
_"Of course! No surprise there, _I am awesome_ after all, where else should they be. Celebrating Christmas? Ugh..They're here for me" _He gave her a cheeky grin and a playful look.  
She glanced back again to the people flowing in and sitting on the elegant arm chairs in the small, yet wonderful theater, once again nervous. Henley didn't realize he moved closer to her until she felt a hand on her shoulder.  
_"Hey, chill. We practiced, remember? Now you just have to follow the schedule." _He looked at her in the eyes and she felt the tension loosen it's tight grip on her heart, just a little bit. Not enough.  
_"Com'on. Step away from that stupid curtain; it'll just make you more nervous and the last thing I want is for my assistant to feel sick five minute before my first show starts." _Daniel tugged at her arm leading her further away, in the backstage.

Not many people were in the back, most of them owned a favor to Isabell or Henley, some worked in the theater, but as long as they were helping she didn't really care. They were walking around, not quite running, but still rather fast, everyone seemed to know where his or her place was. _"Funny, I'm half of the show and it looks like I'm the only one who doesn't know where to go."_  
In the back of her mind she heard someone saying it was time to dim the lights and the place became much quieter without the audience talking. Only the crew was still moving and even now, five minutes from the start of the show, Daniel was going around telling people what to do, when and how to do it. She looked down at her hands: black nails and pale skin, no bracelets nor rings, no gloves. Nothing. They weren't even trembling. All that time worrying...  
As the moment to step on the stage neared she felt everything being washed away. She even wondered if it was happening for real, she and Daniel waited for this moment for weeks, she longed for this as much as she feared it.  
She glance at her partner, he was standing next to various bouquets, probably sent by his already numerous fans, tightening the red tie around his neck, glanced around and checked his wrist watch. He glanced around again, their eyes meeting from across the room.  
_"You okay?" _He mouthed from afar.  
For a moment he seemed genuinely concerned, she didn't reply, her gaze lost. She was thinking about a hundred things at once and thinking back at it she couldn't recall not even one of those things. But she remembers Daniel walking toward her with a rose, taken from one of the many bouquets, and she remembers his smile, one of those smiles he usually gave Isabell, as he handed her that single flower.  
He stepped back then and started to go toward the stage, before stepping out of her sight and into the flashing lights he looked past his shoulder to her.  
_"Don't panic." _He mouthed. _"They're for us. They're here for you too."_

Henley spent the following five minutes mentally rehearsing, waiting for Daniel to introduce her. Everything was fine during those short, yet never-ending five minutes, but the moment the magician called her name she got extremely close to have a panic attack. It only lasted 30 seconds, her walk from the back stage to Daniel, but in that minute she played in her mind all the worst scenarios she could think of. A trick gone wrong, falling from the stage, not surprising the audience. She remember glancing at her 'dress'. Suddenly it was way too shimmery, too shrilly and too short. It wasn't appropriate, nor comfortable and too red, too loud, simply too much.  
_"You have to smile." _She remembered her self, so she did. The lights for a moment blinded her, she couldn't see the people except the first row, but it was enough. Isabell was giving her thumbs up subtlety with a warm real smile.  
She imagined the past weeks, ever since she became J. Daniel Atlas' assistant, she was rehearsing with him, telling her flatmate about their day, rehearsing in her room. She thought of the days back in high school, the first time she taught Is one of the easiest tricks. She remembered her father showing her, teaching her magic. And she remembered the first time she saw a show, back when he was on the stage with her grandfather and her mother.  
Daniel wasn't the only one. She was born for this too and she was determined to make it and to live whatever this was, at its fullest.

As soon as courage flood in her system she found her self in auto-pilot. The magician a few steps from her would say something cocky and cheeky and she'd reply with the same tone. Sometimes it was improvised, most times it was rehearsed, but it didn't matter because the audience enjoyed it. Every single laugh, gasp or sigh was music to her ears. Her shoulders were free of the weight she previously felt pressuring her. It was better than everything she ever hoped for, illusion by illusion, Henley and Daniel had them all fooled. It was such a great feeling, more intense than all that she ever felt before.  
_"This is _magic_. Not what they think they're seeing. Not what we're doing. But what I'm feeling. Right now, in this moment, I swear I've never felt something this breathtaking."_

People cheered and clapped when it ended. Roses flew toward and past her, yet the most important lie over her jacket in the backstage. Isabell was there too, the magician decided to let her through; her flatmate was as happy as her.  
Is was covering her boyfriend in compliments as Henley retrieved her belongings and got change. Never in her life she would have spent a night out in that ridiculous thing.

For the rest of the night they were together, all three of them, drinking in pub across the Laurys/Reeves apartment. She didn't feel like the third wheel when her companions acted as a couple, nor did Isabell when the other two talked about magic, nor Daniel when the girls laughed about something from their past.  
For a long time when Henley Reeves thought about perfection this was the first thing on her mind. Her favorite day.  
She would have never thought that the newly formed trio would have gone down to two in less than a year.

* * *

_**Aaaand they're done with the first show!  
*SIGH* sometimes I feel like Henley's past seems too dramatic, bu it'll all make sense.  
**__**I hope the part before they got on stage wasn't too cheesy or OOC, if you got advises to better this or whatnot please review or PM me.  
**_**Have fun and belated Happy 4th of July America!  
****con affetto ;)  
_personalescape_**


	7. Daniel 4

_**Heya! I'm sorry it took so long. Seriously... It has been a busy week and I couldn't post last weekend between birthdays, finals and departures for vacation.  
Right now I'm trying to get over a writer's block and I'm working on something new, although not about NYSM.  
I hope you guys are enjoying your summer :) **_

_**DISCLAIMER : Now you see me ain't mine... unfortunately... And I doubt they'd sell it to a fifteen year old, so fanfictions are all I have. A girl can dream *sigh***_

* * *

_**Chapter 7**_

_**31**__**st**__** December 2005, New York**_

J. Daniel Atlas was already used to it.  
The one they did tonight was their sixth show, but to him it felt like the fiftieth. The thrill of it, all those eyes and spotlights on him felt... well, _magical._ It was undeniable they were great. He was great. Every minute on that stage was a minute in heaven to him. He didn't feel like 'dead and gone to a better world' kind of heaven, nor a 'angel like' one (_"You're the furthest thing from an angel that there is." _would say Henley). He felt like a god, doing one of the things he was best at; the others being planning and girls.  
He also had to admit Henley was pretty amazing too, people loved her and there was no need to wonder why. She was all magic tricks and witty remarks, short glittery dress and a smile that shone just as much. For some reason she always threw a rose to the first row at the start of the show and at the end she'd blow kisses around. Never had she failed to do a performance; sure they were just at the start but he was pretty positive about the future.  
He knew deep down it wouldn't be like this forever: a nice average theater and many people. He knew that there was a chance that in a couple of days the flame would slowly die out, but for now he was okay with performing even just in a restaurant or in front of few spectators.

Tonight, again, everything was going great.  
Their show started at 8.00 pm, always in the same theater, the audience filled up the room, from the first to the last seat. Truth to be told, he wasn't expecting much, it was New Years Eve after all, and yes, there were just as many on Christmas Eve, but that was their opening night.  
Isabell was in the back stage, ever since the second show she proclaimed herself as the dresser of the duo, she was doing Henley's hair. His assistant's vivid red hair was up in a ponytail reaching just below her shoulders, a little forest-green bow holding everything up in place. It was the same color of her dress, he thought she looked a little bit like a leprechaun: short, red and green. She wasn't getting overwhelmed by nervousness any more, no more lost gaze or deadly pale skin. She was still a little pale, but it was a natural shade of milky pink. Tonight was the second time he found himself staring at that skin, at her legs and then up to her smile.  
_"Just because I think she's attractive it doesn't mean that I like her." _He decided. He couldn't like her. Not when he had Isabell. In between the performances he'd sneak in the back stage and the beautiful blond would give him a kiss and a encouraging smile or a compliment. Not like he needed either, but it was nice to have someone there for him.

The list of tricks they did changed every other night, and every time the order was different. They did from the oldest to the ones Daniel came up with himself.  
Henley was quick: putting away and taking from the back stage everything they needed, he's hands were even quicker especially when they performed what magicians often called '_dirty_' tricks(*).  
For the few routines they did every night he made sure to change the patter(*); he specially loved _'Sucker Tricks'(*) _while Henley enjoyed misdirection. Every night they performed they had the time of their lives.

Now it was about ten thirty. Isabell was dragging them to a club she knew so they could celebrate the new year in 'grand style', the skirt of her short purple dress fluttering around her thighs , her thin legs clad by black stockings never stopped walking. Daniel and Henley had a hard time keeping her pace, especially the latter who wore high stilettos, the only thing she didn't change about her previous outfit.  
_"Pity, she never seems to stay in those dresses for long..." _He thought. In fact while during the show every possible inch of skin was shown, now Henley was practically fully covered. A thick long black coat over a dark blue blouse and wide-leg satin pants just the same color.

After what felt like twenty minutes of non stop walking, Isabell entered an underground place. It was exactly the kind of party you'd think a girl like her, rich beautiful and elegant, would go to. She waved at a guy in the back near the bar (he immediately disliked the dude), and got stopped by at least five guys and girls on their way there. Everyone seemed to know her and vice versa. The place was posh and fancy, silver tables, black and white walls and music loud enough to make you want to dance, yet somewhat low so that you could still talk with someone without having to scream.  
Isabell was still talking to some guys a few meters from him, every once in a while glancing back at her boyfriend, probably too polite to tell them she didn't really feel like chit-chatting. He gave her a smile and turned to Henley, who was sitting at the bar, doing nothing.  
_"You know these people?" _  
_"What?- Uhmm, yeah. I think I saw some of them." _Henley looked around the room and vaguely pointed at groups.  
_ "Old friends of Isabell. Mostly thanks to parents and whatsoever. You know? Agency men, heirs of wealthy companies, young business women." _She must have sensed his dislike for such things and threw her head back in laughter.  
_"Haha, don't worry. They're not so bad. Not all of them anyway. Plus some of them aren't even wealthy and snob. Like that one." _She pointed at the blond guy next to Isabell, they were both walking toward them.  
_"He works with her at Starbucks, he's a cool guy... I think." _She said it rather fast as the two approached them. Soon she was standing and smiling at the new guy who was standing a little to close to his girlfriend than necessary.  
_"Nick, you already know Henley. And this is Danny." _Isabell, always nice and happy, introduced her co-worker. He offered his hand and the magician, ever the gentleman, gripped and shook it. Hard.  
_"You can call me Daniel." _Nick's face didn't change, not in the slightest, if he felt the grip tighten he didn't show it. Actually he didn't even seem to be paying was looking at Henley. The magician could see a light blush on her cheeks and he hated to admit that the sight bothered him a little.

The night proceeded slowly. Isabell got stopped at least other seven times and he felt an indescribable pressure every time she or someone else addressed him as her boyfriend. Not that he minded, only this was the first time he had some sort of real relationship and , as much as he liked Isabell, it had never been his thing. He was good at one night stands, the best, but sticking with one girl required effort and commitment, a kind of caring he only had for himself and magic. He'd never say it aloud but it kind of scared him. Even just admitting it to himself felt like a sin, so he buried the thought deep down. Somewhere during the night someone decided to play an old stupid drinking game like _'I have never' _and thinking that it was after all New Year's Eve Isabell joined them, little later so did Daniel.  
_"Maybe you want to drink to forget that Henley isn't here. Don't pretend you didn't notice she's with that Nick guy."_  
He didn''t know why he's subconscious worked like that, although it was true that in the past week the thoughts of her multiplied and never once he tried to stop them. But he had Isabell and, no matter how much commitment wasn't usually included in his plans, he knew he'd be an idiot to let a girl like that go.  
_"Shut up, brain! Now's not the moment." _He told himself. He sat on an expensive dark silver arm chair, gently taking his girlfriend by the waist to make her sit on his lap.

He kept 'playing' all night. Isabell's bell like laughter filled the air, but to him it was only an echo. Daniel knew he wasn't exactly following the rules, he drank every time he felt like it, pretending that he was keeping track of what the others were saying, and when it was his turn he said obvious stuff that surely everyone already had done. He didn't know how long they sat there, but it didn't take him long to get drunk. He could still walk and somewhat think. He recalled Isabell asking him to go to the bar with her. They drank a little more, he thought he was fine, if he was stumbling he didn't realize it. Henley was there too, but she didn't seem to be drinking, she was simply playing with a tooth pick, an olive still impaled on it. He watched as Nick, next to her, made her laugh. The tall, blond guy took the empty glass in front of her and ate the olive. Daniel kept drinking, Isabell sat next to him and he tried to start a conversation, he ended up getting lost in her blue eyes, but when he closed his eyes he could only picture hazel ones.  
It was almost midnight, from the club you could here the people outside doing the countdown, he didn't understand why they always started counting a minute before the new year, to him 10 seconds were good enough.  
_"39.. 38.. 37 ..."_  
_"Let's go outside Danny! Look even H and Nick are going!" _Isabell took his hand and led him to the exit, he still had a beer in his hand_._ Outside people were drinking, cheering, counting and everything that could pass for celebrating  
_"30... 29 ... 28... 27 ... 26" _  
He saw some guys on the roofs, probably setting up fire works; Isabell's face shone like never before. She was counting too, sometimes looking at him with a gorgeous smile. He decided that this time he would count too.  
_"13... 12...11...10...9...8...7...6...5...4...3...2.."_  
He turned to his girlfriend, and as cheesy as it may sound, she looked truly breathtaking to him, the fireworks reflecting in her eyes. They kissed, following the tradition. It was the first time in a very long time that he actually had a _girlfriend _to kiss on this night. It was short and loving, he had never been one for public display of affection, there was no need for it.  
But it seemed that Nick didn't share his opinion. Okay, maybe they weren't sucking each other faces off, but it was now five minutes past midnight and he and Henley were still attached to one another; they broke apart more than once, but each time they went back to kissing.  
He remembers drinking even more and giving Isabell small kisses almost as much. He remembers laughing and staring at the fireworks, he remembers staring at his girlfriend. And somewhere in the back of his mind he remembers seeing Henley get in a cab with Nick.

_**[not much later...]**_

_**1**__**st **__**January 2006, New York**_

J. Daniel Atlas had a massive hangover. He lay on Isabell's bed, next to her. They were still fully clothed so he assumed the didn't do anything except crashing on the mattress. His head felt like it was being drilled. His girlfriend was a mess, one of her shoes was on the bedside table while the other was still on. Her hair, now free from the complicate hairdo, looked like a bird's nest, her dress was the only thing that seemed in place.  
He got up from the bed and stumbled over his own shoes, falling to the ground. Fortunately Isabell didn't wake up. She stirred and mumbled something in her sleep; Daniel kissed her forehead and slowly got on his feet. The state of the bedroom was a horrible sight, it looked like they stumbled over pretty much everything. The clock on his girlfriend's working table, he didn't know how, survived. He feared to know the state of the rest of the apartment since this room was the furthest from the entrance.

That's why he was surprised and a little confused to see that everything was perfectly neat. Even the front room was as clean as ever. His jacket (including his handkerchief), his green tie and Isabell's chocolate brown coat were hanging next to the door .  
_"Okay, there is _no way _that two drunken people can be this neat." _He thought as he stepped in the kitchen, he was still looking behind him, but he could smell brownies and coffee.  
In fact Henley was behind the counter, wearing a knitted caramel sweater and ivory sweatpants. She was taking, just like he thought, brownies from the oven. When she saw him she greeted him with a small smile.  
_"Good Morning, drunk." _He decided to ignore her comment.  
_"You're not hungover."_  
_"And you are." _She said placing the baked goods on the counter.  
_"Aren't you early?" _It was almost 8.00 am, usually when he slept at someone's he wasn't back 'till nine unless it was vital for him to leave and if it was he left in the middle of the night.  
_"I could ask you the same thing." _She gave him another small smile. _"Seeing the time you guys got here I was expecting you to sleep all day."_  
_"You were here?" _Maybe this meant Nick was here too, (just the thought disgusted him) although that wouldn't make sense. _"Why would she be here baking if that was the case?" _He thought.  
_"Of course, where else if not here? Who do you think cleaned up?" _She chuckled and poured coffee in a mug, then he poured something else, tea maybe, in another one.  
_"Well, since you left with Nick I assumed-"_  
_"Wise man said: ' Assuming makes you an ass.' True story." _She said rolling her eyes._ "He just took me home." _  
He stared at her, almost sure he was wearing a stupid look on his face, but too tired to care. She placed the mug of tea in front of him.  
_"Breakfast? I noticed you never drink coffee unless it's decaf. We don't have that around here." _ He was pleasantly startled by the fact that his assistant noticed. He wasn't sure how long they would have acted nicely toward each other, probably not too long, so he was planning on enjoying every second of this truce.  
Henley went back to her brownies, not sparing him a second glance. Isabell walked in shortly later and silently sipped her coffee. No one talked for a long while, all was calm and nice, Isabell smiled at him every time he looked at her. At some point the redhead started whistling famous oldies like she always did.  
_"This is a remarkable way to start the new year." _He thought.

* * *

**_A/N : just in case your wondering... _**

**_Dirty Trick _**_a trick that leaves you with a method or secret that can potentially be discovered by spectators.  
**Patter **the running commentary as one performs magic.  
**Sucker Trick **where the spectator is made to believe that he/she knows the secret to an effect but is shown to be wrong at the end._

**New character/ Possible love interest for Henley... you know just to bother Danny and make things more complicated. Henley can't wait around forever and plus she wants to get over her whatever-it-is that she feels for her boss.**

**anyway, R&R  
****much love  
**personalescape  



End file.
